How often do GPS trackers update their location？

Introduction: core concerns of the Global GPS tracker market

In the global Internet of things (IoT-RRB- waGPS GPS trackers have penetrated into multiple scenarios such as fleet management, pet safety, logistics and transportation, and outdoor exploration. According to 2024 data from Global Internet of things device research firm Statista, the Global GPS tracker market was worth more than $8.5 billion in 2024, north  (38%) , Europe (29%) and asia-pacific (25%) are the main markets-north n users are more concerned about real-time fleet scheduling, while Europe focuses on logistics asset monitoring and pet safety, asia Pacific is growing rapidly in personal location-based devices.

Whether it’s a trucking company owner in New York, a pet owner in London or an outdoor explorer in Sydney, there’s a central question: How often do GPS trackers update their location? Behind this seemingly simple question lies a complex trade-off between device accuracy, battery life, data cost and usage scenarios. For example, North n UPS freight fleets require 10-second updates to ensure on-time delivery, while Europe’s Maersk Maritime only updates container tracking every six hours; While New York City Marathon Runners’ trackers take 10 seconds to update their rankings, hunters in remote Alaska receive only 30-minute updates (due to limited network coverage) . This paper will comprehensively analyze the location update logic of GPS tracker from four dimensions: technical mechanism, global scenario case, influencing factors and selection strategy, it provides practical reference for readers in different regions and with different needs.

I. GPS Tracker location update mechanism: not just“GPS” so simple

What most readers think of as“GPS” is actually a generic term for global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) — except for the U.S. GPS, it also includes the European Union Galileo (commonly used by European users, positioning accuracy of 1-2 meters) , Russia GLONASS (more stable signal in the Arctic Region) , China Beidou (asia-pacific coverage excellent) . Modern mainstream trackers support multi-system compatibility (e. g. Garmin, Geotab devices) , which is the basis for stable updates in different parts of the world. Its location update process is divided into“Location-upload-display” three steps, each step of the technical choice directly affects the frequency of updates:

1. Location: a game of precision versus signal

The tracking capability of the tracker is jointly determined by“Satellite Signal + assisted positioning technology”, and the positioning accuracy indirectly affects the“Necessity” of the update frequency — the higher the accuracy, the higher the accuracy, low frequency updates can also meet basic requirements; the lower the accuracy, the higher the frequency may be required to compensate for errors.

Satellite positioning (core) : in open areas (such as the Midwestern plains of North America, the Australian Prairies) , multi-system compatible equipment can receive 12-15 satellite signals, positioning accuracy of 1-5 meters, but in“Urban canyons”(such as Manhattan in New York and Shinjuku in Tokyo) , the satellite signal is interrupted by tall buildings, and the accuracy drops to 5-15 metres, some devices automatically increase the frequency of updates to 30 seconds to reduce positional drifts; in indoor or underground car parks (such as London Underground stations) , satellite signals disappear entirely, relying on assistive technology.

Assistive location:

WI-FI location: relying on a database of nearby Wi-Fi hotspots (e.g. Google, Apple maps of global hotspots) with an accuracy of 10-30 meters, often used in indoor scenarios (e.g. personal item tracking in a mall) , update frequency is usually 1-5 minutes (due to erratic WI-FI coverage)

Cellular location: triangulating through nearby cell phone towers, with an accuracy of 50-200 meters (depending on the cell density) , is complementary to satellite positioning in remote areas (e.g. , Canada’s boreal forest, the edge of the Sahara in Africa) , at this time the update frequency is often forced to stretch to 30 minutes-1 hour -LRB-because the base station signal is weak, upload delay is high) ;

Bluetooth location: short-range location (within 10 meters) , often used in pet collars or children’s bracelets (such as Whistle’s pet tracker in Europe) , updated within 10 seconds of a close connection with the phone, out of range, it switches to satellite/cellular mode and the frequency drops to 5 minutes.

2. Upload: the type of network determines the“Update speed limit”

After positioning, location data is uploaded to the cloud via the network-the speed, coverage, and cost of different networks directly determine the upper limit on how often trackers can be updated. The main types of networks and scenarios are:

4G/5G cellular network: Fast (10-100 Mbps) , low latency (10-50ms) , suitable for high frequency updates (1-10 seconds) , but high data cost, high power consumption. Verizon in North , Vodafone in Europe, and Singapore Telecom in Asia Pacific all offer internet of things (IoT-RRB- plaTaketNorthoriVerizonizo1GB“1GB/month” plan costs $15, 10-second updates (about 50 MB per hour, 2-3 GB per month, $30-$45) for fleet management (UPS, FedEx) and race tracking (New York Marathon) .

Low-power wide-area networks (lpwans) : Technologies such as Lora and NB-IoT are slow (0.3-50 KBPS) and have high latency (10.300 seconds) , but consume only 1/10 of the power of 4G and have low data costs. According to the European Lora Consortium, 80% of asset trackers in Europe in 2024 will use LORA networks, such as DHL’s logistics package tracker, which is updated every hour and has only 5 MB of monthly traffic, a plan costs $3-$5(Orange’s LoRa plan in Europe) and lasts up to six months.

Satellite communications: in areas without a terrestrial network (such as oceans, polar regions, deserts) , satellite communications are the only option, with high latency (10-60 seconds) , high cost, but global coverage. Iridium, a global satellite operator, charges $20 a month for its“Every-six-hours” internet-of-things package (for shipping containers) , a“SOS Instant Update” contingency plan costs $30 a month (for Arctic Expeditions) .

3. Display: client-side“Real-time awareness”

The cloud server receives the data and syncs it to the user’s mobile APP or computer platform via an API (e.g. Geotab’s fleet management platform in North , the European Tile’s item tracking APP) , the“Real-time location” that users see actually has a slight delay-about 1-3 seconds on 4G networks and 10-30 seconds on satellite networks. The North n Samsara team platform, for example, has an interface marked“Data delay: 2 seconds” and offers playback of historical trajectories (10 seconds, 1 minute, etc.) , help users identify trends in location.

II. Common update frequency of GPS trackers: A case study of global scenarios

There is no“Unified standard” for the update frequency, which is determined by“Scenario requirements + technical conditions + cost budget”. The following four common frequencies cover more than 90% of the world’s application scenarios, with real cases and cost data from different regions:

1. Real-time updates (1-10 seconds per update) : just-in-time selection for high-precision requirements

Applicable scenario: real-time monitoring of high-speed moving targets or emergencies, such as team scheduling, race tracking, emergency rescue.

Core features: real-time, but high power consumption (continuous power supply or high-frequency charging) , high data costs, only suitable for“Stable power supply” or“Short-term use” scenarios.

Global case study:

North n fleet management: UPS operates 120,000 cargo trucks in North , all equipped with Geotab’s OBD interface tracker (which is plugged into the vehicle and doesn’t need to worry about batteries) and is updated every 10 seconds. With real-time location data, dispatch centers can dynamically adjust routes (such as avoiding congested stretches of the Los Angeles Highway) , reducing delivery delays by 22 percent, and data costs about $35 per vehicle per month (Verizon 2GB) .

European race tracking: for the cycling road race at the 2024 Paris Olympics, a micro-tracker (GPS + Galileo) is embedded in the athlete’s number cloth, updated every 1 second, the APP allows viewers to see the runners’ rankings in real time (with a delay of < 2 seconds) , and the organisers can monitor whether runners are off course in real time. The Tracker, made by the European brand Catapult, costs $150 per unit and data traffic during the event is sponsored by French Orange (each consumes about 1 GB and costs $15) .

Global Emergency Rescue: Garmin Inreach Mini 2 is a mainstream option for outdoor explorers. It supports GPS + Iridium satellite communications and instantly updates location at a rate of 1 second per time when the user presses the SOS button, and send coordinates to global Rescue centers, such as SARS in North  and Mountain Rescue in Europe, until help arrives. The battery lasts 14 hours in SOS mode (satellite mode) . The device costs $349.99, and the satellite plan costs $14.95 a month (basic) .

Pros and Cons: the advantage is the ability to capture every location change, which is suitable for high-risk, high-precision requirements; the disadvantage is that the cost of data is 5-10 times that of low-frequency updates, and portable devices need to be recharged frequently (e.g. , the match tracker only lasts 8 hours in a single use) .

2. Timed updates (30 Seconds-5 minutes per update) : a“Balanced choice” for everyday situations

Applicable scenarios: real-time and battery life, such as vehicle security, pet tracking, personal security (elderly/children) . This is the most commonly used frequency range worldwide, covering more than 60% of consumer GPS trackers in North , Europe, and Asia Pacific.

Core features: in the“Timely detection of anomalies” and“Battery life of more than 1 week” to find a balance between the moderate cost of data, most users can accept.

Global case study:

North American pet trackers: Whistle GO Explore is the best-selling pet tracker in the U.S. (35% market share by 2024) , with a default update rate of 2 minutes per time, and when pets move faster than 5 mph (e.g. , running) , it automatically goes up to 30 seconds per time; it goes down to 5 minutes per time when it’s still. The device, which costs $99.95, has a 2,500-mah battery, 7-10 days of battery life and GPS + cellular connectivity, a monthly subscription costs $12.95(including location and health monitoring) . According to 2024 data from the American Pet Owners Association, 89 percent of Lost Pets are retrieved by owners using the device, and the average recovery time is reduced to 45 minutes.

European Car Tracker: TomTom’s“Car Tracker” for European homes is updated every 1 minute, when the vehicle detects abnormal vibration (such as broken windows) or unauthorized movement (such as theft) , it is immediately raised to 30 seconds/time and an alarm message is sent to the user’s mobile phone. The Tracker is powered by an OBD port (perfect for a family car) or a portable battery (14-day battery life) and costs 89 euros (about $98) , a data plan costs $5.50 a month (about $6 at Vodafone Europe) . In 2024, German Auto Theft Prevention Association report shows that the installation of the equipment, the theft rate is 67% lower than not installed.

Personal safety in asia-pacific: a“Positioning bracelet for the elderly” launched by Petkit in Japan, updated at a frequency of 5 min/time for the needs of the ageing society in Japan, supporting fall detection (updating the location immediately when falling and calling the police) , iP68(wearable shower) , 14-day battery life. The wristband, which is used 40 percent of the time in nursing homes in Tokyo and Osaka, costs $89 and $9.90 a month for data (the softbank package) and will help find more than 2,000 missing seniors by 2024.

Summary of pros and Cons: the advantage is that it is suitable for most daily scenarios, and the battery life and cost are within the range of the user; the disadvantage is that in high-speed mobile scenarios (such as high-speed vehicles) , the 30-second update may have a“Position jump”(such as missing an exit) that needs to be dynamically adjusted in combination with the speed sensor.

3. Event-triggered updates: energy-efficient solutions for“On-demand updates”

Scenario: only need to monitor specific events, do not need to continuously update, such as electronic fence, speeding alarm, abnormal movement of assets. This mode is widely used in the field of global logistics and agriculture, which can save electricity and flow as much as possible.

Core Logic: the tracker is in a“Low power sleep” state by default (hourly/daily updates) , and when the default event is triggered, it is immediately awakened and updated with high frequency (10-30 seconds/time) , when the event is over, it resumes sleep.

Global case study:

Agricultural equipment monitoring in North America: the Tractor Tracker provided by John Deere to farmers is updated 24 hours per time by default (to check if the equipment is on the farm) , when the device leaves the default electronic fence (e.g. , farm boundary) or moves faster than 15 mph (which could be stolen) , it immediately switches to 30 s/update and sends a text message alerting the farmer. The device, which runs on a Lora Network and has a 1-year battery life, costs $150 and costs $3 a month for data (10 MB of data) . According to the 2024 U. S. agricultural safety report, the device reduced theft of agricultural equipment by 58% .

European e-logistics fence: DHL’s“Parcel Tracking System” in Europe, which attaches tiny trackers to each package (GPS + Lora) and updates every six hours by default (to monitor shipping progress) , when a package enters/leaves the warehouse electronic fence (e.g. Cologne, Germany, Lyon, France) , immediately update the location and notify the recipient (e.g. “Your package has arrived at the Lyon Sorting Center”) . With a battery life of six months, a cost of $5 per unit (bulk purchase price) , and data charges of $2 per month, DHL has reduced the rate of package loss from 0.5% to 0.1% .

Asia-pacific cold chain transportation: SF Express China’s cold chain fleet in Southeast Asia -ThailandlaVietnamtnam) , the tracker presets the“Temperature anomaly” trigger condition (cooler temperature exceedsC8 °c) , normal transportation time 5 minutes update location + temperature, temperature abnormal immediately 10 seconds update, and to the dispatch center alarm. The device, which runs on an NB-IoT network (Thai AIS) , has a 30-day battery life and a data plan that costs $8 a month, helping SF express reduce cold-chain cargo damage by 30 percent.

Advantages and disadvantages of summary: Advantages are the ultimate energy-saving (battery life than regular update 2-5 times longer) , data costs are extremely low; The downside is that there is no way to monitor changes in the location of a“Non-default event”(if a package is accidentally dropped in transit, the location will not be updated if the vibration sensor is not triggered) .

4. Low-frequency updates (1-24 hours per update) : a“Guardian solution” for long-term static assets

Scenario: track long-term stationary or slow-moving assets, such as shipping containers, outdoor storage, idle vehicles. The global shipping, mining, and infrastructure sectors are major users.

Core features: priority fully inclined to“Endurance”, real-time is very weak, but to meet the“Regular confirmation of assets not lost” needs, data costs can be almost negligible.

Global case study:

Global shipping containers: Maersk Shipping Lines is equipping its 2 million containers with“Satellite + GPS” trackers that are updated every six hours (when crossing oceans) , after docking, it goes down to 24 hours. The Tracker runs on an iridium satellite network, has a six-month battery life (it can be recharged from a dock power supply when docked) , and costs $20 a month for a satellite package. Shippers can use maersk’s“Remote Container Management” platform to see the location of containers from the port of Shanghai to the port of Los Angeles (e.g. “Currently in the middle of the Pacific and expected to arrive in Los Angeles in 3 days”) , the system helped Maersk recover 120 lost containers in 2024.

African mining equipment: Anglo n mining, of South Africa, has large mining equipment (excavators, harvesters) in mines in Zambia and Ghana, and the trackers are updated 24 hours a day, just make sure the equipment hasn’t been smuggled out. The device runs on solar power (plenty of sunshine in Africa) , has a battery life of up to a year, uploads data via the NB-IoT network (MTN operator in Africa) and costs $5 per month, significantly reducing theft of mining equipment (about $2 million a year) .

North American outdoor RV storage: Cruise America, an American RV rental company, parks idle rvs in suburban parking lots. The tracker updates every 12 hours, and if the RV’s location changes (it could be stolen) , it immediately sets off an alarm. The device uses a low-power GPS module and has a three-month battery life. It costs $80 and a data plan costs $4 a month (T-Mobile’s“100 MB/month” plan in North ) , it helps the company keep RV theft rates below 0.3% .

Advantages and disadvantages: the advantages are the longest battery life (up to 1 year) and the lowest cost; the disadvantages are the poor real-time performance, unable to respond to emergency situations (e. g. if a container is hijacked at sea, it will take 6 hours to detect the change in location) .

Key factors in how often GPS updates occur: “Decision guidelines” for users around the world

When choosing the frequency of updates, the following four factors need to be considered-technical conditions (e.g. network coverage) , user needs (e.g. real-time priority) , and cost estimates (e.g. data charges) in different regions, each of these factors can lead to a different choice of optimal frequency:

1. Type of equipment: “Power mode” determines the upper frequency limit

GPS trackers can be classified as“Stationary”(powered by an external source) or“Portable”(relying on a built-in battery) , and the maximum update frequency varies significantly:

Fixed trackers: such as in-car OBD interface devices (used by 80% of North n fleets) , warehouse assets fixed trackers, with continuous power (12V/24V) , can support 1-10 seconds of real-time updates, no need to worry about battery life. Geotab OBD trackers in North , for example, are updated 10 seconds every 24 hours, and data cost is a major consideration ($30-$45 per month) .

Portable trackers, such as pet collars, outdoor bracelets, and handheld devices, rely on built-in batteries, and the more frequently they are updated, the shorter the battery life. Take the Garmin Inreach, the world’s best-selling car: it lasts only 8 hours with a 10-second update (for emergency situations) and 14 days with a 1-hour update (for everyday outdoor activities) , 3 months with 24-hour updates (static assets) . As a result, the frequency of the portable devices should be closely matched to the duration of use-european pet owners typically opt for a 2-minute update (7 days) , while Arctic expeditions require a 24-hour update (3 months) .

2. Battery capacity and energy efficiency: the trade-off between battery life and frequency

Battery capacity is fundamental, but energy-saving technologies can dramatically improve the frequency-to-range balance. The data on battery capacity and battery life for the world’s leading trackers in 2024 is as follows (take regular updates as an example) :

Beyond capacity, the impact of energy-efficient technologies is even more significant:

Sleep mode: most devices automatically enter sleep when stationary, such as the European TomTom vehicle tracker, Static after 8 hours from 1 minute update down to 12 hours update, extended battery life from 14 days to 30 days;

Dynamic frequency tuning: AI algorithms adjust frequencies based on movement speed, such as the fleet tracker in Samsara, North , which updates in 5 minutes when the vehicle is moving at < 5 mph (parked) , and, 10-second update at > 50 mph (high speed) , 40% less battery power than fixed frequency;

Solar charging: devices in sunny places such as Africa and Australia, such as the South African Mining Company’s solar tracker, can be“Perpetually charged”(charging during the day and updating at night) , it can be updated every hour (no need to worry about the battery) .

3. The networked environment: “Infrastructure constraints” in different parts of the globe

The update frequency can not exceed the upper limit of network coverage and rate-the good urban networks in North  and Europe can support high-frequency updates, while the remote areas in Africa and South  can only accept low-frequency updates. Here are some recommendations for the network environment and frequency in major regions around the world:

North : 4G/5G coverage of 95% (urban) , 60% (rural) , satellite network complements remote areas (e.g. Alaska) . Recommendations: 10-30 Second Update for City Fleets, 30 minute-1 hour update for rural assets, 30 minute-24 hour update for remote expeditions (e.g. Alaska hunting)(satellite) .

Europe: the EU’s“Digital Agenda” calls for member states to achieve 80% 5G coverage in rural areas by 2025, compared with 90% 4G/5G coverage in urban areas and 75% in rural areas today. Suggestion: 1-5 minutes update for logistics transportation, 2-5 minutes update for pet tracking, 6 hours update for shipping container.

Asia-pacific: Full 4G/5G coverage in developed cities (Tokyo, Singapore) , 50%-70% 4G coverage in developing regions (rural India, remote areas in Southeast Asia) . Recommendations: 5-minute update for urban personal equipment, 30-minute update for rural logistics, 6-12 hours update for sea/air transportation.

Africa/South : 60%-70% 4G coverage in urban, < 30% in rural, satellite and LPWAN dependent. Recommendations: 1-hour update for urban commercial assets, 24-hour update for rural mining/agriculture, 6-hour update for transoceanic transport (satellite) .

The cost of the network also comes into play: a 4G internet of things plan in North  costs about $15 per GB/month, and a LoRa plan in Europe costs about $3 per 10MB/month, the Africa satellite package costs about $25 for a“6-hour update”– a cost differential that favors low-frequency updates for African users.

4. Industry needs: “Core appeal differences” in different scenarios

In the same area and network environment, the frequency selection is different with different industry demands. The following are the core demands and frequency recommendations of the world’s major industries:

Fleet management (North /Europe) : the core demand is“On-time delivery + driver behavior monitoring”, recommended 10-30 seconds update (City) , 30-1 minute update (suburb) , need to connect the car power supply, data costs $30-$50 per vehicle per month

PET safety (Global Consumer Class) : the core demand is“Lost after a quick recovery + more than 1 week of battery life”, recommended 2-5 minutes update (mobile 30 seconds) , portable battery, $10-$15 per month;

Logistics (global) : the core demand is“Cargo progress transparency + low loss rate”, it is recommended 1-5 minutes update (Land) , 6-12 hours update (Sea) , LPWAN or satellite network, monthly fee of $2-20 per piece;

Outdoor Adventure (Global) : the core demand is“Emergency Rescue + long duration”, recommended 1 hour update (daily) , 1-10 seconds update (SOS) , satellite + GPS, monthly fee of $15-30;

Static assets (mining/infrastructure) : the core appeal is“Confirmed not lost + low maintenance”, 12-24 hour update recommended, solar or high capacity battery, $3-$8/unit per month.

How to choose the right update frequency: practical steps for global users

Based on the above analysis, readers around the world can choose the update frequency according to the following four steps, taking into account the requirements, costs and technical conditions:

1. Identify the priorities for“Real-time” versus“Battery life.”

The first question to ask yourself is: “Do I care most about ‘knowing where I am immediately’ or ‘the device doesn’t need to be recharged/changed frequently’ ?”

If the core demand is real-time (such as emergency rescue, race tracking) : Select 1-10 seconds update, accept high cost ($30-$50 per month) and short duration (8-24 hours, continuous power supply) ;

If the core requirements are trade-offs (e.g. pet tracking, daily car monitoring) : choose 30-5 minute updates, cost $10-$20/month, and last 7-14 days

If the core quest is battery life (such as long term asset tracking) : choose 1-24 hour updates or event triggers, cost $2-$8/month, 1-12 months.

2. Evaluate the environment: network coverage and power supply

Network coverage: View the type of network in your area (4G/5g, LPWAN, satellite) , such as North  in New York City can choose 4G (10 seconds update) , rural Kenya in Africa can only choose satellite (24 hours update) ;

Power supply conditions: if the device can be connected to external power supply (such as vehicle-mounted OBD, warehouse power supply) , high-frequency update is preferred; if it is portable (such as pet collars) , low-frequency update must be selected (to avoid daily charging) .

3. Calculating cost budgets: a“Long-term investment” in equipment + data

The cost of the GPS tracker, which includes“Equipment plus a monthly subscription”, varies widely by region and needs to be accounted for in advance:

Consumer Devices (pets/individuals) : $80-$350 for devices and $10-$30 per month (e.g. $99.95 for Whistle devices + $12.95 per month in North , $98 for TomTom devices + $6 per month in Europe) ;

Industrial grade equipment (fleet/logistics) : $150-$500 for equipment, $8-$50 per month (e.g. $200 + $35 per month for Geotab fleet equipment, $5 + $2 per month for DHL logistics equipment (bulk)) ;

Satellite equipment (Marine/Expedition) : $300-$1,000 for equipment, $20-$50 per month (e.g. Garmin inReach $349.99 + $14.95 per month, Maersk satellite tracker $500 + $20 per month) .

Take the North n small fleet (10 cars) : Select Geotab for a 10-second update, $200 for equipment ($2,000 total) , $35 for a month ($350 total) , and $200 for a 10-second update, total annual cost of $6,200 — with a one-minute update and a reduced monthly fee of $15 per unit, total annual cost savings would be $2,400 and meet basic scheduling needs.

4. Flexible tuning: take advantage of the device’s“Dynamic frequency capability”

The mainstream GPS trackers of 2024 all support“Custom frequencies” or“AI adaptive frequencies” that users around the world can adjust according to changing scenarios:

Manual adjustment: such as European logistics companies, goods in transit set 1 minute update, after arriving at the warehouse manually to 12 hours update;

Adaptive AI: fleet trackers such as Samsara in North  use AI to learn drivers’ driving habits, automatically setting 10-second updates on high-speed roads and 30-second updates on congested roads (to reduce invalid data transmissions)

Scene mode: such as Garmin Inreach“Adventure Mode”(1 hour update) , “Rescue mode”(10 seconds update) , the user can switch one-click, no need to manually set the parameters.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. is the more frequent the update, the more accurate the positioning?

Not Necessarily. Positioning accuracy depends on the quality of the satellite signal and auxiliary technology (such as GPS + Galileo dual system accuracy of 1-2 meters) , while the update frequency only affects the“Timeliness of position capture”. For example, both the 10-second update and the 1-minute update are accurate at 1-5 meters in an open field, but the 10-second update can detect vehicle lane changes more quickly, and the 1-minute update may miss lane change details.

2. Does the tracker update its location when there’s no GPS signal?

Yes, but with less accuracy. In the absence of a GPS signal (such as indoors or underground) , the tracker switches to Wi-Fi or cellular positioning (with an accuracy of 10-200 meters) and caches the location data; when the GPS signal is restored, the tracker can be used to track the location of the target, the cached location is uploaded to the cloud at a time to avoid data loss. For example, the European Tile’s item tracker, which uses WI-FI to locate items indoors (5-minute update) and restores GPS after exiting the store (2-minute update) , allows users to see the full trajectory.

3. Is the data bill based on“Updates” or“Traffic”?

Most global operators count data on a“Data” basis (such as Verizon’s 1GB/month plan in North ) and a few LPWAN networks on a“Data bar” basis (such as Lora’s 1,000-data-per-month plan in Europe) . One-minute updates, for example, transfer about 500 bytes of data per update, 30KB per hour, and about 2.16 MB per month, which is more than enough for a low-cost“100 MB/month” package ($3-$5) .

4. Trackers for shipping containers, why not update them more often?

Due to the lack of a terrestrial network at sea, the reliance on satellite communications (high cost and high latency) and the slow speed of container movement (about 20 nautical miles per hour, 37 kilometers per hour) , updated every 6 hours has been able to accurately grasp the position (6 hours to move about 222 km, the error can be ignored) . Moving to 1-hour updates would increase the cost of satellite data from $20 to $120 per month and would be extremely inefficient.

5. Does the“Electric fence” function of a pet tracker matter how often it’s updated?

Yes. An electronic fence is a“Pre-set area”(e.g. , 1 km from the home) where the tracker updates its location and alerts when the pet enters/leaves-the more frequently the tracker updates, the more quickly the alarm goes off. For example, a 2-minute update on a tracker will alert a pet up to 2 minutes after it leaves the enclosure, while a 5-minute update may delay the alarm by 5 minutes, making it more difficult to retrieve the animal. Therefore, the pet tracker recommends choosing a 30-second-2-minute update to ensure that the electronic fence function is effective.

Vi. Conclusion: the“Logic of frequency selection” from a global perspective

GPS trackers are updated every 1 second to 24 hours. There is no ‘Optimal Solution’ , only ‘Best Fit’-North n fleet owners need 10 second updates to ensure efficient delivery, european farmers need 24-hour update to safeguard farm machinery safety, asia-pacific outdoor enthusiasts need 1 hour update to balance rescue and endurance. The core logic is to find a dynamic balance between“Real-time requirements”, “Battery life”, “Network conditions” and“Cost budget”.

With the global penetration of 5G networks (5G coverage will exceed 85% in North  and Europe by 2025) and the maturity of AI adaptive technology, the future of 5G networks is likely to be different, in the future, GPS trackers will be“Fully automatic frequency optimization”-the ability for a device to adjust itself based on scene, network, and battery status, without requiring user settings, according to the scene, network, and battery status (10 seconds at high speed, 12 hours at rest) . But no matter how the technology evolves, “Understanding your needs” is still the basis for choosing a frequency-after all, the best update frequency for your scenario is the one that works best for users around the world.